Okay -- it's official.

I'm sure anyone with a vested interest knows this already, but thanks to my intrepid pal, the 5'3" Alana, we may now certify that Clapotis is, in fact, too short. It isn't just 5'7" me and my linebacker shoulders/long torso. Validation... but oh, the cost.

The problem is, of course, compounded by the fact that unlike many other stole or scarf patterns, it isn't so easy to just tack another couple of repeats on the end. Because it's knit on the bias, the long row repeats end ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT gradually decreasing rows before the end. That's a goodly amount of work for a near-slowbie like me to rip out, add to, and knit again. Alana tried to cut 'em off at the pass and planned ahead to add an extra six rows, but alas -- to no avail. The shaping means that it's not even that easy to estimate the triangular end piece from the increased section at the beginning.

Over the course of our discussion, she asked if I'd considered using it as a scarf instead of a stole. I did, but since I made it from the marvelously fuzzy Malabrigo, a rather lofty worsted, it bulks up way too much for my taste. Too short as well (whoda thunk?). I mentioned that I'd be trying to block it to within an inch of its life in an attempt to wrangle a little extra length out of it, but she brought up an interesting point. Seems she really likes the extra nubbliness and waves of texture that the lack of blocking brings, and I can't say that I'd disagree. So maybe I'll mull it over for a little while longer before I make my final decision.

Design matters...
Miss A. and I moved on to more pressing concerns after that, bemoaning the relative lack of truly original piratical designs out there. Certainly, we loves us some Hello Yarn, but even with the advent of the Knit Like A Pirate community on LiveJournal it's always the same. "Ooh, I put a skull on a hat!" "Ooh, I put a skull on some wristwarmers!" (Okay, so Snowball's Chance in Hell was actually pretty flippin' sweet.) I'm sure y'all know what I mean, though, especially since I know for a fact that piratical knitting is right up there on many of your lists. (All, uh, seven of you :P)

So here's my question: what patterns (graphic) or patterns (garment/whimsy shapes and features) could we come up with to make a dent in the rather low-key oeuvre that's out there right now? Certainly we could at least refine a stripey cap, or provide a few more options for ye olde skull pattern, but maybe we can branch out into full-fledged wench tops and sashes.

For those of you who aren't familiar with one of my other hobbies, I am involved with an MMORPG called Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates. Mister Husband and I have lifetime subscriptions, as we were alpha testers over three years ago, and we've gotten to be friends with some of the people who make the game. In particular, the current lead arrrrtist did some custom non-game art for us a couple years ago, and I returned the favor in part by helping to knit some happy little nummies when he and his wife had their first kid.

As i mentioned earlier, I figure there's no better way to start posting pictures in here than to introduce Baby Nemo and some of his swag. But for some reason the picture integration in Blogger isn't really letting me put the picture where I want it, so I'll have to start a new post. Excessive, yes, but nothing too good for display of my collaborative handiwork. Or something.

Onward, and keep those comments a-comin'.